Advice From The Voice Of Servitude
by KnoxEmerald
Summary: Twilight reluctantly learns a spell to talk to spirits. What she thought was a useless spell, turns out to be something she really needed.
1. Chapter 1

The day had started just like any other, but today was certainly no ordinary day. Twilight was running at full speed to get to the quiet retreat that was her library home. A small package she received was the cause of her rush. It was a new book from the princess herself. The moment ditzy had brought her the package stamped with the Princess' royal seal, she knew she just had to get home and dive into its contents.

The quiet atmosphere of the library was abruptly and temporarily destroyed by Twilight's hasty entrance into the library. After the high speed intrusion, the atmosphere resumed its humble tranquility. Twilight looked around for spike. She assumed that he was on his evening run to Sugar cube Corner for a lunch break. The book was gently laid upon Twilight's table and opened with the magic Twilight possessed.

Twilight was a glutton for learning to say the least. She had scanned the first few pages. The book was a guide to learning very advanced spells. A rare book, obtainable only by order of the princess herself. Twilight felt that this was the princess' way of telling her she was ready for more advanced training. Her face was bright with pride and excitement, "Oh, this is so extraordinary. I don't know where to start." Twilight excitedly stated as she scanned through each page.

The book contained a multitude of powerful spells. Some of the spells taught how to control weather; others were on manipulating matter, even an advanced teleportation spell. That was one of Twilight's personal favorites. She had almost decided on the teleportation spell, when something caught her eye, "What is this?" Twilight questioned as she examined one of the pages.

The outer corners on a single page had been dog eared on both sides. Twilight noticed that a particular spell had been magically highlighted, "Spiritual connection? A spell that allows a single pony to connect with a spirit from the spiritual dimension..." Twilight looked puzzled while reading the description. She never believed in the supernatural, though after meeting Pinkie Pie she lightened up to the subject. Spirits were a whole new idea to Twilight, she never really thought about their existence, just the thought brought a shiver down her spine.

Twilight wondered about the condition of the page. Was there a reason it was made to be so noticed? Was this a spell that Princess Celestia wanted Twilight to learn? Twilight shook away the questions temporarily and looked further into the learning procedure of the spell. The requirements were on a very advanced level compared to what Twilight was used to. Spells had many levels of difficulty. Some spells were learned through sheer force of magic power, where as some would combine the essence of magic with the process of thought to create an object or to move something. However, this spell called upon the power of meditation and the mind's eye to form a connection to the spiritual world. If done correctly, Twilight would then be able to talk to a spirit and vice versa.

"I don't know if I am ready for this." Spoke a mildly shaken twilight.

Almost immediately, Twilight dismissed the negative thoughts. She had to do this for the Princess, and for herself. Failure to learn spells was a failure to her duty as an apprentice. She lowered herself to her haunches as she collected her thoughts. She had read up on how to practice this type of spell learning, but had never actually gone through the steps. Twilight inhaled deeply and let out a heavy sigh, a good start to calming oneself. A calm set of nerves and mind was necessary to put the spell in motion.

The ambience of the library was the perfect setting for this kind of spell. She closed her eyes and readied herself for the detachment to the physical plane. Her horn began to fluxuate lightly, then with more focus; the magical essence from her horn began to surround her to make a type of shield. The shield was used to cut her off from any outer disturbances that may try to interfere with the process.

Time began to slow down and distort in Twilight's mind. She felt the slow approach of the green and blue mist that is known as the spiritual plane. Fear would not claim her, for it was not an emotion welcome in this plane. Focus, understanding, and acceptance were the elements that served as Twilight's guide.

The focus allowed the spiritual plane to exist and served to ready her for the gift she would receive. Understanding the power and use of her gift would be proof of her worth to receive it. Acceptance would be the final trial. It would provide her with its abilities and its consequences. She could see the shadows of those long gone. She could hear their voices, but she did not fear them, for they were not there to harm. They were there to bestow. The winds of the Spiritual Plane began the swirl madly as the inaudible voices became louder. Twilight did not move as her third eye watched what was happening around her. It was all part of the process, and the process was nearly complete.

A flash of light was the last thing her third eye would encounter in that plane, as her eyelids shot open to reveal great lights emitting from her eyes. It looked similar to the time she unlocked the elements of harmony. The light began to fade and revealed the soft color of her violet eyes. Exhaustion had overtaken her moments later, as she collapsed to the ground. After a few moments to catch her breath she rose to her hooves. All that remained of her experience was a fuzzy memory and a very sore horn. She looked to the window, but noticed the evening sun that poured through her window was now replaced by the soft light of Luna's moon.

She rubbed her head with her hoof, "I thought I was gone for just a few minutes. I think that's enough for one day, time for some rest." she concluded to herself with a drawn out yawn. After putting away her new book of spells, Twilight began her ascent up the stairs. Her mind began to ponder if her efforts were successful. She didn't really know how to go about testing to see if she could communicate to spirits. That is to say, if they even exist at all. She decided to put all her thoughts to rest, along with herself. The door to her room opened with a soft press of her hoof. Spike lay asleep in his basket. He probably saw Twilight in the midst of her studying and thought best not to bother her.

Twilight did not realize how much the spell took out of her, until she felt her body succumb to the soft welcome her bed. As much as she didn't want them to, her thoughts continued their assault on her mind. Did Celestia want her to learn that particular spell? Had it even worked? She must have gained something from that experience. Her sore horn was a clear indication of that. Finally, her thoughts began to fade away as she felt herself descend into a dark, yet well needed slumber.

"Young apprentice…"

Twilight winced at the intrusive noise that was denying her the sleep she longed for. The voice of her mind would not get the best of her.

"Awaken apprentice of the princess."

Twilight's eyes shot open to the call. This was not her mind playing tricks on her. She knew she heard something that time, "H-hello?" Twilight questioned, but received only the soft snoring of her dragon assistant. She slowly looked around, checking every part of her room for another form of life. After a few minutes of frantically checking, she dismissed it all to herself being exhausted. She made sure her assistant wasn't awoken by all this and pulled the covers over him, then turned to her own bed…

"It is time!"

Her heart rate began its acceleration at the voice that seemed to surround her entire room. To her surprise, her horn had begun to fluxuate with magic madly. "What's going on?" Twilight asked to no one in particular. She recognized the fluxuation, it was similar to her teleportation spell, yet she wasn't casting it. In a split second, Twilight was gone. Nothing remained but the sound of silence and a baby dragon that could sleep through anything.

Twilight wasn't sure what had just happened. One minute she was in the dark ambience of her room. The next, she was outside in an area she wasn't familiar with. She observed her surroundings. The ground around her seemed to be devoid of grass. Anything that remained was black and withered, almost as if the entire area had been scorched in flame somehow. In the distance lie ruins of an ancient shrine. It didn't seem to serve use to anything anymore, as what remained of it was tattered by the unforgiving hand of age.

A sigh of relief left her lungs as she came to a familiar sight. In the far off distance she could see the shadowy outline of the Princess' castle, a clear indication she wasn't too far from home. That didn't stop the flow of questions that poured into her head. Why was she even here? What was with the voice? She felt her hair stand on end as a light gust of wind blew past her and she felt a presence behind her.

"Do not be afraid, lass." Came an aged voice.

Twilight quickly spun around. She was greeted by the presence of a tall earth stallion with a light brown coat and a red mane with a tail to match. He looked like one of the princess' royal guards. His armor was different, but seemed familiar in a way. He wore a shining silver helmet that bore a crescent moon across the front. The armor that covered his body was a bright gold, gleaming with the emblem of a sun across the chest. Twilight had seen this armor in books, yet that armor hadn't been worn since the solar-lunar wars. She had to ask the obvious question, "Who are you? How did I get here?"

His gaze fell to match hers, "Spirits don't have much need for names, but I was once given the name Iron Bond." He wasn't surprised to get the reaction he got from the young apprentice.

"Iron Bond…you mean THE Iron Bond? Commander of the Princess' Royal Guard and personal guard to the Princess herself?" Twilight shook her head at the thought. "That can't be. If you were that Iron Bond…then I would be talking to a…"

"A ghost?" was the soft reply of Iron Bond as he showed a proud display. "I was the legendary Iron Bond of which you speak. As to how you got here...Well, when I felt the power of a unicorn opening the spiritual plane, I figured it could only be the Princess' apprentice, as such spells can only be learned by unicorns of such rank." He was now circling the lavender unicorn, observing every detail about her. She just stood there frozen in fear and confusion. "I would say you called to me. You might say I called to you, but the truth is we called to each other. He gained no reply from the still petrified unicorn. "Do not fear me, young apprentice. I did not bring you here with my magic with intentions to harm you."

The last statement brought Twilight out of her fearful state, "Magic? But you are an earth pony. How can you wield magic?" She recalled that the books always referred to Iron Bond as an earth pony, so she felt right to question him.

A soft chuckle was his first response, "I am sure you are aware that all ponies have magic inside of them, but are you aware of spiritual magic?" A shake of the head was her response, "Well, when a pony passes on, the magic inside of them can sometimes keep their physical form on this earth if they are not ready to pass to the next stage of the afterlife." He looked at her a little more seriously, "When I felt you open the plane to the spiritual world…I figured we could help each other. So, I teleported you here in hopes that we could help each other."

This was all weighing so heavy on Twilight, "Why me? What can I help you with?" She looked at him as he closed his eyes with a smile.

He looked to be reflecting on something, "Tell me apprentice…is the princess happy?" His gaze lowered, no longer matching Twilight's eyes, "When I left this world. She had just lost her sister to the evil that was Nightmare Moon. She wore a smile upon her face for her subjects, but I knew it was just a mask. All those years of servitude allowed me to see the princess for who she truly was. Feeling that she might not truly be happy…I can't bear the thought of it. Such is the bond of servitude."

Twilight took a step towards Iron Bond, "So that is why you are stuck here. Your servitude shines even after death." Iron Bond's gaze once returned to be greeted by the soft smile of Twilight. "I am happy to inform you that Luna has returned. The sad days of the Solar-Lunar war are over."

Iron Bond's spirits did not lift. He looked out to the broken shrine that seemed to be nothing but a beacon of the past, "Lass, you must not know the truth about how things were back then." Twilight could only look at him with confusion in her eyes.

"There was no Solar-Lunar war…"

Twilight shook her head in disbelief, "No war? How could that be? I have plenty of books on the subject." She said with confidence in her voice.

"All made up stories by ponies that weren't even born during those days. There was only one battle. It was between Celestia and Luna. Neither of them would ever let their subjects get involved in a battle that had nothing to do with them. I guess that is why Celestia knew her sister wasn't truly overcome by evil." He knelled his head down to Twilight's level. "I brought you to this place for a reason. Lend me your magic apprentice, and I shall show you the importance of this place." He closed his eyes, awaiting the light touch of Twilight's horn.

Twilight was hesitant, but soon started to lean in. Her horn lightly pressed to Iron Bond's head. Sparks flowed from Iron Bond to Twilight's horn, the imagery of his memories being transferred to Twilight's mind. It allowed her to see what he witnessed all those years ago.

"Let the truth be known."


	2. Chapter 2

Everything around Twilight was shrouded in darkness. She had never before looked into the memories of another pony, let alone a deceased one. Her breaths started to quicken as her confusion and fear started to get the best of her.

"Do not fear, young apprentice," Came a familiar voice. It resonated throughout the entire area, surrounding her in an eerie sort of protection. She felt her nerves start to settle and her breaths return to her normal pace. "You're essence is in my mind. It shall allow you to see things the way I saw them, as if you were me." A slight nod was all she returned. The dark world around her started to melt away. Her vision began to form a scene. Walls were being painted into creation. It looked to be forming the princess' royal chamber, though it did not look like she remembered. The walls of the chamber were decorated with crescent moons and glorious suns. She didn't feel like herself at that moment. She felt taller and stronger, like she had embodied somepony else. She noticed her position was right next to the princess.

The princess was looking outward to the doors of the royal chamber, as if expecting somepony or something. She felt her head drift to the door as well, a nervous chill forming around her. It was as if she was watching a scene from _the past..._

_A dark omen could be felt from beyond those doors by everypony in the room, yet they all stayed quiet. Waiting for the moment of the ominous beings arrival. Wicked sounds were growing closer and louder like that of a growing storm. Some of the Royal Guard Ponies were starting to back away from the door, making a formation around the princess. The princess herself sat upon her throne, her face displaying only an expression of patience. Twilight was watching all this through the eyes of the Princess' personal guard, Iron Bond. She felt her...or rather his hooves move as he positioned himself in front of his Princess. He was growing irritated from all this strained waiting._

_As if feeling his need to move forward, the doors instantly burst open allowing the swift intrusion of a deep black aura. It was surrounding a very deranged looking Luna, the Princess' younger sister. Her eyes were wide with anticipation, "Dear sister, have you accepted your dethronement?" Her voice was crackled and seemingly shaky. _

_Princess Celestia looked at her sister. Her expression began to lose its ever patient look, being replaced instead with a look of sorrow. She didn't want to see her sister like this. She also understood that it was too late to stop what was going to happen that night. "I'm sorry, Luna. I should have tried to help you overcome this sorrow which has taken your heart."_

_The dark aura around Princess Luna started to swirl madly. It drew closer to Luna, seeing her as its prey. A low growl was forming from Luna's throat, "That is NOT my name...dear sister." The last part was strained out with pure scorn. "You may call your one true ruler..." her voice could be heard growing deeper by the second as the darkness enveloped and consumed her, making her its own. A shockwave busted out knocking the surrounding guards to the ground. All but the Princess and Iron Bond stood steady. The darkness lashed out in a gigantic flash, revealing the newly corrupted younger sister. "You may call me...NIGHTMARE MOON." The claim of her new title echoed throughout the entire palace. Lightning thrashed across the sky to assist in her names haunting presentation._

_The princess rose from her throne. A look of hatred now possessed her face as she descended the steps of her throne. "You are not my sister. What have you done with her? Answer me!" The only reply was a soft chuckle from the darkened empress._

_Iron Bond dug his hooves into the royal red carpet in frustration, "Do not burden yourself with this fiend, princess." He knelt to a charging stance as he stared down the embodiment of evil, "We shall overcome this demon and return the lunar princess to her former glory." He was nervous to say the least, but he would not fail his princess. His duty to her was his drive to overcome anything._

_Nightmare Moon had just noticed the young guard between the sun princess and herself. He did look to be quite strong, but what chance does any mortal have compared to a goddess. She let her maniacal laughter resonate throughout the room. Such a mere distraction would not keep the nightmare princess from her goal. She would have the princess on her knees. She would bow to the one true empress of the land of Equestria. "Come at me then, young stallion. Let your princess witness a small example of my power." It was all Iron Bond needed to hear to begin a full speed rush at the darkened princess, much to the dismay of Princess Celestia; who tried to tell him to halt._

_Twilight saw through Iron Bond's eyes. She could see Nightmare Moon getting closer as he galloped at full speed. The last thing she saw was Nightmare Moon raise her forelegs up and then swiftly down to the sound of a sickening crack. Darkness was all that followed__._

For a few moments, Twilight reflected quietly in the darkness. She had faced Nightmare Moon before, but her task was simple with the assistance of the Elements of Harmony. If she had taken her on alone, she knew she wouldn't have lasted long. A slight shiver escaped her body as her mind began to wonder what would have happened if she didn't teleport in time when she charged Nightmare Moon. Shaking away the thought, she proceeded to ask the question that was plaguing her "Is that how you…you know?" She felt a little worried about asking such a question.

"No, lass, that memory was not of my demise. That is a later chapter," the voice reassured her. "There is still much more to see, apprentice." The omnipresent voice began to fade as the darkness around started to melt away. Her vision blurred around her as if she was _coming to._

"_Ir…on….ond….Iron….ond…Iron Bond can you hear me?" The blurred vision started to clear, revealing the face of one of the guards that had been present in the room at the time of the assault._

_Iron Bond rose to his hooves, trying to overcome the deep throbbing pain in his skull. Putting a hoof to his head, he realized what had transpired and began to violently look around. "Where is the princess, Silver Cross?" He looked into the younger solder's eyes, desperate for any information._

_Silver Cross glanced to the side, revealing to Iron Bond a smashed window. Glass was scattered all over the royal room. Loud crashes could be heard from outside. Two opposing forces were clashing together, bringing lights to the sky. It was so bright; it had looked like daytime had temporarily returned. Iron Bond didn't need an answer now. "We have rallied some of the troops to the shrine. We believe the princess is heading for the elements." _

_Despite the pain of a cracked rib, Iron Bond began to run full speed out of the palace. Silver Cross could barely match his speed. Iron Bond was the oldest of the troops, but he wasn't the Commander of the Royal Guards for nothing. The scene had changed to Iron Bond grouping up with the rest of the guards that were holding post near the shrine. Every head was turned up to the sky as the two forces collided. The clashes were so immense that the sound of the impact wouldn't register until seconds later. With one final blow, both of the beings began to rapidly descend to the earth._

_Celestia had slammed hard against the earth, sending Iron Bond to rush to her side. She was already getting to her hooves by the time he arrived. "Iron Bond….You're OK. I'm glad." Her smile was genuine. He always loved her smile; it was warm even in the heat of battle. "Order the guards to fall back. I'm going to use the elements and I can't guarantee any safety if they're so close." They both looked at the dark princess as she was getting to her hooves._

_With a silent nod to each other, they went their separate ways. Iron Bond couldn't help but look back to his princess. She was always so worried about everypony else. Did she ever think of her own well being? He gave the order to fall back, but didn't fully retreat himself._

_He couldn't force himself to leave his Princess' side. He watched as the shrine came to life with a multitude of colors. He could hear Nightmare Moon scream in anger as she began to realize what her sister was planning. Celestia had emerged from the shrine. She slowly walked to her younger sister, who was madly charging in her direction. He had to admire everything about the scene. Princess Celestia was showing her title brilliantly. She was strong, silent, and beautiful. Without a word, Iron Bond bore witness to the Princess' true power. The elements shined as they created a rainbow colored wave of energy that rose to the sky, and then descended directly into the Nightmare Princess. Her scream could be heard for miles as the energy began to rip into Nightmare Moon and consume her._

"_This isn't over sister. I will return!" was the final declaration of Nightmare Moon. It was barely audible when compared to the immense noise the elements created as they carried her away to her lunar prison. The force of the energy clouded the area in smoke and scorched the earth around them. _

_Iron bond stayed there silently. He strained his eyes desperately to see through the smoke. He had to know what had become of his princess. The smoke finally began to clear, revealing Princess Celestia. What once looked silent and powerful now looked shattered and forlorn. He would never forget the scene before him._

_The elements that held so much color moments ago were now lifelessly strewn across the ground__,__ devoid of their power. The princess' gaze was solemnly fixed on the white orb in the sky that now held her sister. Iron Bond was close enough to see the tears that were streaming down his highness' face. "I'm so sorry, sister. I had no other choice." The princess sorrowfully spoke. The nightmare was over, but nopony rejoiced, for it was not a victory, especially not for the princess of the sun._

The scene seemed to age rapidly as Twilight was returned to visions of her own time. The story ended right where she now stood, but age shows what changes and what remains. Twilight stood silently pondering what she had just witnessed, "I don't think I have ever seen the Princess cry." It was a disturbing thought to see the pony she idolized so shaken and with lack of her ever confident smile.

Iron Bond's form had returned. He was looking around the area. Twilight had now understood why the earth was so scorched and barren. This was where it all happened. Iron Bond closed his eyes reflectively, "It was just the beginning for her sorrow, lass." He looked at her. She looked back at him with questioning eyes. Her thirst for knowledge would be quenched this night. "The loss of her sister was heavy, but she still had duties to attend to." His focus was completely on Twilight now. "She had explained to her people what had happened. Even though they rejoiced, she could feel the fear they all now had for her. When somepony shows that kind of power, I guess the natural response is fear of how it can be used."

Twilight shook her head in disbelief. "You mean they actually thought she would abuse her power?" Twilight began to grow angry. "Fearing the princess, I can't believe how foalish they could be. The princess would never do that to her subjects." Iron Bond eyes her with suspicion.

"Lass, can you honestly tell me that you never felt fear of what the Princess could do?" Iron Bond questioned her seriously. "She didn't want to be feared, or to be seen as a tyrant. I am sure that she fears that even _you_ fear her." He watched for Twilight's reaction, sure of what would come next.

Twilight immediately thought back to the whole Fluttershy and Philomena ordeal. She had made so many crazy assumptions about what Princess Celestia would do if she found out what Fluttershy had done. A look of guilt covered her face as she realized how she was just like the others.

"I…do fear her."

"It's alright, lass. Fear comes naturally."

"What…do I do?"

"Just know that there is no reason to fear the princess, for she would never do such a thing to the people she loves if she doesn't have to."

Iron Bond gave her a soft smile. "She loved to see her subjects happy, just as I loved to see her happy." His smile began to fade, "I never got to see that smile again, after that night. The loss of her sister and the fear from her subjects troubled her more than she would ever admit." His gaze was now to the ground. His tone was a mix of sorrow and anger. "She could hide it from everypony, but not me. I could see right through her mask, but I couldn't break it. I failed her as her guard and as her friend." He slammed his hoof to the ground, which would have made an impact if his form were actually solid.

"I'm sure you did everything in your power to help her," Twilight said with a reassuring smile. She felt relieved when a small smile was returned to her.

"I appreciate that, lass." His gaze turned to the stars that shone bright above the two of them. "I would have done anything to have that warm smile of hers return to me." His gaze fell to look at the area around him. "It wasn't long after their battle, that I met my end right here in this ancient battlefield." He closed his eyes once more in reelection.

Twilight had taken a few steps closer when hearing his words. "You mean this place is…" A nod was all she needed to understand. "What had happened, I thought the battle was over?"

"Nightmare Moon seemed to have some followers." He looked to the shrine, in its battered state. "We had gotten word that some of the followers were going to try to take The Elements of Harmony and try to bring her back." They walked together to the shrine that had once held such power. He watched as Twilight studied every detail of its shambled history. "We didn't have much time to rally troops; we didn't even inform the princess. I regret that every day. I would have liked to at least tell her goodbye one last time."

Twilight Sparkle had her attention completely focused on Iron Bond. "You didn't inform The Princess of anything? Didn't that seem kind of foalish?" She felt her question was justified considering the situation.

A soft chuckle escaped Iron Bond when confronted with such an innocent question. "It was completely foalish, but when you've been on the battlefield as long as I have. You realize why you fight. You fight on that field so the ones you love don't have to. You keep them safe, even if you yourself are not." Twilight gave a small nod to what he was saying. Iron Bond gave a boastful smile, "We had made it an easy victory. They were just timid little ponies, so most of them fled when they saw us. Victory was assured, but leave it to Silver Cross to celebrate a little too early."

Twilight gave a perplexed stare as he lifted his head, revealing a deep scar on his neck. She gasped and took a few steps back, seeing the harsh injury, "Is…is that how you" Twilight couldn't finish her sentence.

"One of the followers tried to make a last stand and made a dash for Silver Cross while his back was turned. I don't blame him for fighting for something you believe in." His neck lowered, hiding the reminder of what it means to protect. "If I had been a Pegasus, maybe I could have flown towards him. If I was a Unicorn, maybe I could have used magic to assist me, but I was given the gift of an Earth Ponies speed. I guess that was enough to get Silver Cross out of the way…not enough to save me from the sharp end of a Unicorns horn, though." He chuckled at the last part.

Twilight took a few bold steps toward Iron Bond. "You protected your friend at the cost of your own life. I can only think of a few ponies brave enough to do that." Twilight spoke as her mind wandered to the thought of a certain rainbow colored Pegasus. "Wasn't there anything they could have done to save you?" Twilight asked with almost desperate interest.

Twilight was given her answer at the shake of his head, "We had medic unicorns, but the gash was too deep to heal with their magic." He gave a smile to Twilight's hard frown. "I didn't regret it, lass. We got the elements moved to an old castle in the Everfree forest, so I wouldn't have to worry about my comrades going into another battle like that. I do wish I could have The Princess again. That is my only regret." He gave a small gruntled sigh that comes with age.

Twilight couldn't hold herself back to ask the next question, "You loved her, didn't you?" She met with his soft eyes, her mushy side hoping for an answer.

They both felt the bright rays of the sun intrude upon their conversation. "We are almost out of time, lass" was Iron Bond's abrupt reply. "Please do not forget what you have learned this night." His image started to fade as the sun grew brighter upon the land.

Twilight watched the image of the earth pony guard fade into translucency giving a softy. He had taught her a lot about the truth of the war. She even felt herself become bolder to how she feels about her Princess. Any fear was eradicated thanks to Iron Bond.

"Lass, I did love her, but the duties we have can sometimes surpass those feelings. I think we both knew that." The words echoed out as the sun took his image away for the time being. He was gone, but not truly free from the world he was bound to.

Spike was still looking around the house for any sign of Twilight. It wasn't like her to be out so early. She didn't usually wake up until two hours after he did. A sudden bright flash indicated her return, as she appeared in her quiet library home once more. "Twilight, where did you go, I've been looking everywhere." He began to notice how tired she looked.

Twilight didn't really register what spike was saying as she made her way to her bedroom. "Spike, please write to the Princess that I wish to schedule an appointment tomorrow. It's urgent." With that she had began her ascent up the stairs, only now realizing how much strain her magic had put her under. Spike was already underway with the letter.

She slowly crawled into bed. It was the biggest comfort she had ever known. The events of the night before had swirled around in her head. She couldn't think about it too long, as slumber overtook her. She would need the rest for the next day. When she would get to the bottom of all of this…

* * *

><p>I really tried to paint a story to the picture "After the Banishment" by johnjoseco. I would recommend searching that picture to see the story a little better. Thank you to everyone who has told me to keep going in this story. It's been a bad couple of weeks and you guys kept me going. I hope you enjoy it!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

The library welcomed the soft sunlight that poured through its windows. It resumed its quiet ambience, only being broken by the light pitter patter of a baby dragon's feet. Spike had just finished preparing Twilight Sparkle's breakfast. She had slept through the morning. The sun had just set itself into its noon position. Spike began his ascent to the sleeping Twilight. She awoke to the scent of her meal that was presented before her. It was only then that she began to realize how hungry she was. How much magic she had used the night before was probably the reason for her ravenous hunger. Before she knew it, she had scarfed the entire meal.

Spike watched in disbelief at how fast she was eating. "I guess I should have made you lunch too. It is noon after all." he laughed to himself.

Twilight looked a bit startled at spike's words. "It's already noon? Oh no! I have to get ready to meet the princess." She hurriedly brushed her hair in a panic, getting an annoyed sigh from her dragon companion.

"Don't worry, Twilight. You still have two hours before you're supposed to meet her. She wrote back to my letter saying she would have a carriage sent out for you, but she was a bit worried when you didn't really give a reason for meeting her." Spike gave her a look that let her know he was thinking the same thing.

Twilight took a moment to gather her thoughts. Now that she thought about it, no one knew what happened last night. She had learned so much from those events, about how Nightmare Moon really fell and about all the pain the Princess keeps inside. Had she ever really seen a genuine smile from Princess Celestia? She was sure she had. She had a few more pieces left to go before solving this puzzle. Twilight sat spike down and told him of the events that took place the night before. It was a mind baffling two hours for the baby dragon.

The carriage had arrived right on time. Two royal guards stood firm in front of Twilight, greeting her with a soft bow. "We have arrived and are ready to leave when you are ready, Ms. Sparkle." One of the guards had spoken with a strong tone. This was always a little awkward for Twilight. She had met these guards many times since she became the Princess' Apprentice. They were good at their jobs, but never ones to talk to on a personal level. Twilight had quickly settled into the carriage, not wanting to waste any time. With that, the carriage had left as quickly as it came.

It wasn't long until the castle came into view. It shone with its solitary glory. Silently watching over its land. Thoughts slowly gathered in Twilight's mind. Thoughts of what the palace looked like years ago. How many times had it seen battle? Cheers of joy? The true smile of a Princess? Twilight was only left to wonder, the ever thinking mind she was.

She felt the carriage start its descent to the doors of the Royal Palace. Once landed, she slowly rose to her hooves and exited the carriage, making sure to give each guard her thanks. A bow was expectedly returned to her. The doors were opened for her and she began her walk down the hall. She listened to the steady flow of ponies going about their business in the palace. Twilight had thought about how there once was a time when a corrupted Luna made her way down this hall in pursuit of the throne.

She compared the palaces design to the visions she saw in Iron Bond's memories. It seemed as so much had changed, yet never really changed at all. Her reflective state made her unaware that she was already at the doors of the private study. This is where Twilight and the Princess would always meet when they did. Scheduling an appointment with the princess on such short notice is almost impossibility. It was just one of the perks of being the Princess' apprentice.

Twilight gazed at the door; composing herself for the questions she would ask The Princess. She took a deep breath, and then slowly opened the door, revealing Princess Celestia in her usual place. She sat at a small marble table with two cups of hot tea. Twilight always enjoyed this scene. It always brought back so many fond memories.

"Greetings, Twilight Sparkle." Were the soft spoken words of Princess Celestia. She sipped her tea before beginning again, "I am eager to know why you called me here so hurriedly and with so little detail." Her feature was now one of concern.

Twilight trotted to the other end of the table, never losing eye contact with Celestia. She had to give her that much. "I am sorry for such a rushed and little detailed letter, Princess. I just wanted to give you my progress on a spell I learned in the new book you gave me." Twilight sipped some of her own tea as it helped to calm her nerves. Nothing could beat the tea of royalty. "At first, I didn't know which spell to choose first. Then, I saw a spell that seemed a little more noted than the others." Her eyes looked eager for an explanation from Celestia.

Princess Celestia's eyes did seem to focus more on Twilight as she spoke. Though there was no answer from her as she asked Twilight to continue.

"I found a page that had both of its corners folded and a single spell was magically highlighted. I took it as this was the spell I was to learn." Another sip of tea allowed Twilight to continue. "It was a spiritual communication spell." Once more, Twilight looked to Celestia for an answer.

"Spiritual Communication is a very difficult spell to learn, Twilight. I'm impressed my faithful student is pushing herself so hard." Her smile was still intact, giving Twilight her full attention.

Twilight Sparkle was ready to give her story. "Learning the spell was a success, Princess. Though, in doing so I met a colt from the spiritual plane by the name of Iron Bond." The name rupturing Princess Celestia's features ever so slightly. It was certainly something she wasn't expecting to hear. "Does that name sound familiar?" Her face couldn't plead any harder for answers.

Celestia took a deep breath before beginning. "How could I not recognize the name of one of Equestria's finest guards? He was one I knew very well." Her words, though spoken calmly; seemed to carry with a light crack. "What happened, Twilight? I simply must know everything." Now it seemed to be Celestia looking for answers.

Finishing the last few drops of her tea, Twilight turned her complete focus to The Princess. "He picked up on my magic and was able to teleport me to his location. He told a lot of stories from the past. The truth about Luna's descent into Nightmare Moon, How his life came to an end. Despite all that, all he really wanted to know in return was if you were happy." Twilight let the last statement out a little more softly than her others.

Any emotional barriers the Princess had put up were surely broken at this point. Her expression was one of a soft sorrow. "Iron Bond…his servitude knew no bounds. He was a true guard and a true friend to the very end." A single tear escaped Celestia's cheek. A sight Twilight had never seen before. "I wasn't informed the night he went out to protect the elements. That night, I cried for two things I lost that were dear to me."

Twilight couldn't hold herself back, bounding around the table to embrace her friend and teacher. "He told me about how broken you were when Nightmare Moon was defeated. He told me how your subjects feared you because of it all. I can't lie to you, Princess. I even had that same fear. I'm sorry." Twilight felt her teacher's comforting embrace. There bond was special one that only a student and teacher could possess.

Celestia took this moment to analyze her student. She had seen how much Twilight had grown in maturity, as well as in ability. She was something to be proud of. After a few moments of silence had passed, their embrace had broken. Celestia had set back down to the table to finish her tea. She waited for Twilight to do the same before speaking. "I was very upset to see my subjects fear me, yes. That did pass with time and it brought me so much joy to see them smile." Her tea was finished at last. She was always the one to slowly enjoy the simple things. "There were things that brought joy to my heart, so not everything was bad for lonely old Celestia." A small giggle escaped the Princess.

"What kind of things, Princess?" Twilight questioned.

"Well for one thing, you Twilight" Came Celestia's soft reply.

Twilight couldn't help but smile at Princess Celestia's kind words. They shared a soft laugh together, something that Twilight always enjoyed. It was most precious to her. However, the conversation couldn't end there. Twilight had to finish this puzzle in her mind. "There is one more thing I don't understand, Princess. Learning this spell just seems…strange. I just couldn't figure out why you would want me to learn it." Twilight was ready to put the last puzzle piece into place, taking a deep breath as she chose her next words carefully. "The spell wasn't really for me to learn, was it?" Celestia's expression was all Twilight needed to see. "After meeting Iron Bond, I started to wonder what was the meaning of all this. I learned how much he cared for you, and then it became clear. That spell was for you to learn so that you could speak to him again."

A silence fell over the room. After a few moments, it was finally broken by Celestia, "I knew I chose the right pony to be my apprentice. You never cease to amaze me, Twilight." Twilight only stared with confusion at Celestia's calm response. "Yes, that spell was for me to learn, but being the ruler of Equestia doesn't give you a lot of free time. I do wish to see him, Twilight." Her voice seemed a little softer than usual. "I seem to be cursed when it comes to goodbyes. My heart sank when I lost Luna, and I didn't even get to say goodbye to Iron Bond. It can weigh heavy on ones heart, Even if they are a princess."

Twilight looked up at her teacher. She knew the solution to this problem. "Go learn the spell, Princess. I'm sure Luna can watch the palace alone for one night. It might even be what she needs." The words were carried with a more assertive tone than the Princess was used to. "If not for him or me, please do this for yourself." The conversation had ended there. Celestia had truly witnessed her pupil grow as a student and as a pony. She didn't need any more convincing.

Night had fallen over the quiet land of Equestria. A graceful form had just fallen in a land long forgotten. The form known as Celestia gazed over the area, taking a few steps to a broken down shrine. It had been quite some time since she had been to this place. Her last visit was when she had put an end to a nightmare and began a thousand years of longing for a dear sister. Celestia closed her eyes for a few moments, taking in the cool winds of the night. She opened them with her original objective in mind. "Iron Bond, are you here?" a gust of wind was her answer.

Celestia felt the slow build of wind and spiritual energy around her. It danced around her form, taking notice of each detail before moving a few feet away. It began to make a form of its own. "Can it be true? Has Princess Celestia appeared before my long gone eyes?" the form had taken color with a translucent hue, revealing itself to be Iron Bond. He knelt before his princess, never outgrowing tradition.

Celestia had given him the order to rise. "It brings me great joy to see you again, Iron Bond." Her words a bit shaky, but still holding firm. "I apologize for taking so long to see you. There really is no excuse for my tardiness." Guilt was a rare look in Celestia's eyes, but the feature had shown well this night.

"A true guard will wait for his princess for as long as it takes." He stood firm in front of his leader, "I could wait a thousand more years to see you, Princess." He gave Celestia a smile that she had not seen in such a long time.

Princess Celestia could only maintain herself for so long, finally letting a few tears fall. "You deserve more than that, Iron Bond. You are a true hero to Equestria and a dear friend. Is there anything in my power that I can do for you?" Celestia looked with a pleading expression.

The two forms had locked eyes for a few moments. "Just one request, Princess." Iron Bond spoke with the rasp of age in his voice. "Give me your smile, your real one. Wear it for your land. Let me know you are truly happy." At those words, Celestia gave him the smile he had always cherished. It was his reason to fight. He felt himself grow tired, his connection to this world started to dwindle. "I believe our time is almost up."

Celestia closed her eyes, letting the last few tears that held so many emotions fall. "To my best guard and most loyal friend, I relieve you of your duty." Celestia watched as Iron Bond's form began shift into a soft light and dissipate into the air.

"My duty to you will never truly be over, Princess. I will watch over you from the sky."

"Thank you, Iron Bond, for everything."

The princess now stood alone, gazing up into the sky. It was her first goodbye she would be happy to remember.

* * *

><p>I want to thank everyone who asked me to keep going on this one. I do apologize for how long it took to finish. I hope you enjoyed it. Hopefully, I put a different perspective on a certain alicorn.<p> 


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